Director: Piyush Gupta
Writers: Piyush Gupta, Gautam Ved
Stars: Huma Qureshi,Sharib Hashmi,Hardik Thakkar,Kukul Tarmaster
Food and Bollywood have always been a good match, whether the heartwarming Sharmaji Namkeen or the thought-provoking Cheeni Kam. We have had storytellers use food as a relatable storytelling medium in their films which audiences of all ages can enjoy. Which brings us to Tarla,
A biopic based on the writer and cooking show host Tarla Dalal. So does the film manage to honor the legacy of the late host? Let’s find out
Tarla on first impression seems like a slice-of-life film, however, the performance of the actors Huma Qureshi and Sharib Hashmi make this an engaging watch. They are seeing the first meeting of the two characters and both figuring out their way of life to the dynamic of becoming Tarla and becoming a noted food writer. The chemistry is on point and one that is seen quite rarely in Bollywood.
Director Piyush Gupta who has previously been a writer for the films such as Dangal and Chhichhore, has shown his directorial prowess in the movie as it is filled with saturated colors in each frame, the societal aspects and balancing all that with a light-heartedness that doesn’t overdramatize the storyline.
However, Tarla as a film still feels like a story that follows the template set by all the other biopic movies before it. The film has the same three acts a hero’s first climb, then a plateau, and finally the rise. For a movie based on a talented food writer and host, the process of how she discovered new recipes was not fully explored. Giving just one example and then moving on to other dramatic points felt a lack of thought that went into writing the script. The same can be seen with the cliches of Jeleaousy and rejection by an authority figure, leaving much to be desired.
One of the other underwhelming aspects of the movie is the music. None of the songs are memorable, and as the songs are attached to the storyline so they aren’t going to be something that you would be listening to beyond the movie. The score also does not do much to keep the audience.
Overall the movie Tarla is an entertaining film that the family can watch on Zee5, this film is a must-watch for all food lovers and for the fans of Tarla Dalal.
Rating (3/5)
